History teaching resources on interpretation

If History is like ‘looking through a glass, darkly’, why do historians see the past so differently? Check out these resources to help your students understand the history of History.

Looking for ideas to approach the key concept of interpretation? Maybe some of these will provide the inspiration you're looking for!

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Historiography of Field Marshal Haig

AKS3 worksheet for analysis of how and why interpretations of  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Modern World: 1900-present | Published: 08/05/2018 | From the resource collection(s): First World War

Historiography of the British Empire

A KS3 worksheet for analysis of how and why interpretations of  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Modern World: 1900-present | Published: 30/04/2018 | From the resource collection(s): British Empire

The historiography of King John

A KS3 worksheet for analysis of how and why interpretations of  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | The Medieval period: 1000-1500Published: 23/04/2018 | 

What influences affect historians' interpretations?

An introduction for KS5 students to why historians are so prone  … read more

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KS5 | Interpretation | Published: 13/11/2017 | From the resource collection(s): What is History?

Has history treated Charles I badly?

This resource is designed to follow detailed work on the civil  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Early Modern period: 1500-1750 | Published: 26/06/2017 | From the resource collection(s): The English Civil War

Who should have the Koh-i-Noor?

Students look at the wider debate surrounding the legacy of the  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Industrial Age: 1750-1900 | Areas | Published: 26/06/2017 | From the resource collection(s): British Empire | The History of India

Changing interpretations of Nazism

A great selection of challenging primary and secondary sources  … read more

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KS4 KS5 | Depth studies | Interpretation | Published: 10/10/2016 | From the resource collection(s): Germany | Historiography | Nazi Germany

Why was there a Revolution in France? Historiography

A challenging resource which gets students to engage with differing  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Published: 12/09/2016 | From the resource collection(s): French Revolution | Historiography

Robespierre: Hero or Villain?

Starting with an extract from an History Today article, students  … read more

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KS3 | Communicating about the past | Interpretation | Published: 01/08/2016 | From the resource collection(s): French Revolution

Norman England: Interpretation question practice

Students use an example answer and mark scheme to analyse and  … read more

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KS4 | British studies | Interpretation | The Medieval period: 1000-1500 | Published: 20/06/2016 | From the resource collection(s): Anglo-Saxon and Norman England | Power and conflict in the Medieval period

Representations of Lincoln and the American Civil War

This resource explores differing views of Lincoln as an individual  … read more

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KS4 | Depth studies | Interpretation | Industrial Age: 1750-1900 | Published: 12/04/2016 | From the resource collection(s): 19th century America | The American Civil War

How do historians try to persuade us that their arguments are convincing?

A template resource which helps students to analyse historians'  … read more

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KS5 | Interpretation | Published: 17/12/2015 | From the resource collection(s): Teaching templates and tools

Why did Northumberland’s coup of 1553 fail?

Students use a chronology of the events of the coup to plot a  … read more

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KS5 | Interpretation | Published: 17/11/2015 | From the resource collection(s): The Early Tudors

Was J.A.R. Marriott right about the British in India?

An interpretations activity in which students use evidence to  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Published: 07/07/2015 | From the resource collection(s): British Empire

Why was the slave trade abolished?

A card sort in which student categorise the reasons for abolition.  … read more

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KS3 | Cause and consequence | Interpretation | Published: 17/03/2015 | From the resource collection(s): The Transatlantic Slave Trade

Interpretations: causes of the Dutch Revolt

Students study the interpretations of leading historians to evaluate  … read more

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KS5 | Interpretation | Early Modern period: 1500-1750Published: 25/11/2014 | 

A new interpretation of Oliver Cromwell: create a film pitch

Students create a storyboard and poster for a new film about  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Published: 06/05/2014 | From the resource collection(s): Power and conflict in the Early Modern Period

Has History judged King John fairly?

A sequence of suggested activities in which students use contemporary  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | The Medieval period: 1000-1500 | Published: 12/11/2013 | From the resource collection(s): Power and conflict in the Medieval period

The measly Middle Ages?

Students explore a range of differentiated sources to decide  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | The Medieval period: 1000-1500 | Published: 05/11/2013 | From the resource collection(s): Society in the Medieval period

Fact or opinion? Stalin’s Russia

Students use an historian's interpretation of Stalin's Russia  … read more

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KS3 KS4 | Depth studies | Interpretation | Modern World: 1900-present | Published: 25/09/2013 | From the resource collection(s): Russia | Stalin's Russia

Why can’t historians agree on who caused the First World War?

A crafty take on the origins of WWI! Coloured glasses or 'p  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Modern World: 1900-present | Published: 04/09/2013 | From the resource collection(s): First World War

Were highwaymen ‘gentlemen of the road’ or violent thugs?

A source based activity for the GCSE Crime & Punishment course.  … read more

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KS3 KS4 | Interpretation | Thematic studies | Using evidence | Early Modern period: 1500-1750 | Published: 28/06/2013 | From the resource collection(s): Crime and punishment

Interpretations of Nazi Germany - are you an intentionalist or a functionalist?

A quick and interesting introduction to one of the major his  … read more

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KS5 | Interpretation | Modern World: 1900-present | Published: 10/04/2013 | From the resource collection(s): Nazi Germany

How did women win the vote?

A series of source based tasks which encourage students to engage  … read more

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KS3 KS4 | Interpretation | Thematic studies | Modern World: 1900-present | Published: 28/03/2013 | From the resource collection(s): 20th century Britain | Power: monarchy and democracy | Women's suffrage

Should we feel proud of the British Empire?

An interpretations activity on the British Empire which gives  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Industrial Age: 1750-1900 | Modern World: 1900-present | Published: 14/02/2013 | From the resource collection(s): British Empire

To what extent did Fascist Italy become a totalitarian state?

A card sorting activity to identify successes and failures in  … read more

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KS5 | Interpretation | Published: 19/12/2012 | From the resource collection(s): Fascist Italy

Crusaders – the movie!

A fun task in which students explore some of the positive and  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | The Medieval period: 1000-1500 | Published: 18/07/2012 | From the resource collection(s): Power and conflict in the Medieval period

Was appeasement the right way forward?

A grid which could be used as a card sorting activity to examine  … read more

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KS3 KS4 | Interpretation | Modern World studies | Modern World: 1900-present | Published: 18/07/2012 | From the resource collection(s): Inter-War

Teaching historiography at KS5

A range of exciting suggestions and approaches to teaching h  … read more

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KS5 | Interpretation | Published: 18/07/2012 | From the resource collection(s): Historiography

Did Mary I deserve to be called 'Bloody Mary'?

A flexible card sorting activity to help students answer this  … read more

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KS3 | Communicating about the past | Interpretation | Early Modern period: 1500-1750 | Published: 18/07/2012 | From the resource collection(s): Power and conflict in the Early Modern Period

The Big Debate: The Home Guard in World War 2

An exercise which looks at two historians' interpretations of  … read more

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KS3 | Interpretation | Modern World: 1900-present | Published: 18/07/2012 | From the resource collection(s): Second World War | Partnerships